Private Balancing the Scales

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Outfit: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber, Echo Stone | Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren , Cerys Dyn
​

Briana paused at the entrance to the training hall, watching as her brother guided a group of younglings through their final stretches. Her fingers drummed against her biceps, impatience warring against her impulse to barge in and give Brandyn an ear full about his new Padawan, and the more logical side of her brain telling her why that was a bad idea.

She'd left one of their newest Padawans —and most difficult— in the meditation room next door, with strict instructions to remain there until called for. Whether those instructions were being followed was anyone's guess—though considering Cerys's almost fanatical devotion to "proper" Jedi procedure, perhaps the girl was still exactly where she should be.

The muscle in her jaw clenched unconsciously at the thought, stewing in the mire of her own irritability and frustration.

Though, the longer she stood there waiting, watching the younglings in their little white-gold robes, tailor-made to fit their particular physique and going through their katas, Briana felt some of that irritation melt away. These kids were part of why she'd founded this order in the first place. After all of the attacks and hardships her home had faced the last few years, the Naboo needed more than just military protection—it needed hope, stability, a connection to something greater. And these younglings, they represented that hope. It didn't matter where they'd come from. They all wore the same colors, they all trained together, and they were all part of something bigger than themselves.

What was it going to take for Cerys to see past her own rigid beliefs, long enough to understand what they were trying to build here?

Before long, small feet began to shuffle around and the younglings began filing out, some offering respectful bows as they went by while others simply grinned up at her. Briana managed a smile for each of them, ruffling the hair of a few of the more rambunctious scamps. Once they were gone, she shared a wave with her brother.

"We need to talk," she said, pushing off from the doorframe. "About your Padawan. I've got her sitting in the meditation room next door. Figured we should handle this one together, considering she just insulted our Battlemaster and used our dead parents in front of several students to make her point about why attachments make terrible Jedi."

​

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

"Teneath...you leave Garn alone, alright? Stop pulling her hair," Brandyn said firmly, but in a tone that had only recently become a fixture - a fatherly tone. It was new. Slightly uncomfortable. But fit surprisingly well.

The younglings looked up at him and seemed annoyed that he had noticed their shenanigans. How could he not notice? They were as subtle as a lothcat on death sticks. "Go on with you...it is time for your next class," he said with a shooing motion.

As the children made their way down the hall, Brandyn felt a disturbance in the Force. It was if someone far greater in the Force than he were gravely disturbed. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Briana tapping her fingers on her arm. "Damn...it feels so good to know it isn't me that caused that reaction," he muttered.

He walked slowly towards his sister, admiring the way that she interacted with the kids. He hurt for her. The whole situation with Aiden was still settling in, and his complete and utter happiness in his relationship just felt a bit unfair. He could see in her eyes, occasionally, just the tiniest hint of jealousy. It was ironic. She had become a greater Jedi than he, after all his dreams. And he had been more successful in love, despite her confidence in those matters growing up.

When she spoke about what was bothering her, Brandyn smiled and shook his head. Cerys was a hard one to crack. But he had agreed with Briana's assessment upon taking her as a Padawan. The Togrutan was more independent and more skilled than most Padawan her age, if only due to her need to go it alone. It was like adding another Knight to their roster so far as skills were concerned. It was just the interpersonal matters that held her back.

This was why Brandyn had done almost no skill based training with her, much to her annoyance. She really didn't need it. And holding it back pushed her to expose the real issues that troubled her that always simmered beneath the surface. Briana would have always called him mad. At least now he had a method to go along with it.

"Well. I can almost assure you she is pacing...and not sitting," he said, looking at the door with an expression of fondness. He liked Cerys. He could see through her to an extent. Sure, she annoyed the hell out of him. But she had been taught well on almost every aspect of being a Jedi. There was just a few areas of legalistic fervour that needed discarding.

He looked back to Briana, and stepped in to give her a hug. It was something he had done more in the last few months than the rest of his life combined. "I am sorry she hurt you, Bri. You are the right person for this job. Don't let a dogmatic young Padawan steal your belief," he whispered to her.

He stepped back. Smile fading into an expression more akin to concern. It seemed fake. Brandyn offered a wink. "Let's go be bossy."

With a sweep of his hand, he offered for Bri to go before him.

Briana Sal-Soren

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Outfit: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber, Echo Stone | Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
​

Briana glanced at her brother as his arms enveloped her in a hug. She lingered for a fraction longer than she usually would, surprised at how much she needed that small comfort. It felt weird—both comforting and stinging at the same time.

Comforting, because he was her brother. Stinging, because everything in her life had felt… off, lately. Sure, from the surface, Briana seemed like the more 'successful' sibling, pristine service record, co-founder of a new Jedi Order, her and Lossa entrusted with Romi's legacy and the Jakku Enclave; but ironically, her actual life was in pieces and seeing Brandyn so in his element... so calm... made her acutely aware of how frayed and unbalanced she was.

When he drew back and spoke in that hushed tone, urging her not to lose belief in herself, Briana let out a frustrated sigh, turning toward the meditation room door but halting before crossing the threshold and pivoting to face Brandyn one last time. "Aren't you even in the least bit annoyed? She insulted the Order and our family — And you know how fragile Lossa is right now, especially with—" Her brow furrowed, not wanting to bring up the kidnapping. "It's beyond disrespectful." She started walking again. "And for the record, I'm not worried."

She was.

She'd questioned if she was the right person for this job ever since she'd agreed to it, and perhaps there was a modicum of truth to Brandyn's quick assessment. This Order was one of the few anchors she still had, and to have some dogmatic, self-righteous Padawan tear it down, tear her family down... Briana paused and forced herself to exhale.

"Not bossy, firm. She can't mow over us or insult Lossa and this Order again. She needs to understand how to respect others instead of tearing them down, even if they don't perfectly line up with her beliefs. Being a Jedi isn't just about skill with a saber or knowledge of the Code. It's about the people we protect, the connections we form, the lessons we learn from each other. You know that. I know that. She doesn't"

She tilted her head toward the door of the meditation room, the gesture saying more than her words. You lead the conversation, it seemed to say. She's yours, after all.

"So, let's make sure she walks away from this conversation understanding that."

​

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Hands came up in defence. "Whoa. Just remember I was nice you to you," he said while making a 'timeout' gesture, "yeah it bothers me. But we knew what we were getting when we signed up for the job. And...I mean...my reputation doesn't exactly make for...a lack of ammunition to someone with her disposition."

He smiled. Briana was very good at this. He could see a lot of his mother in her, though he would not dare say as much. He had spent his whole life feeling like she was stealing his dream from him. Instead, he should have been working with her to achieve more than he had thought possible.

"Let's just remember we offered to take her on. And she is her own worst enemy. We need to suffer...a little...so that she can get through this phase."

He set his mind on the task ahead, and turned to the door. This...would not be fun.

Briana Sal-Soren

 

[Cerys Dyn]

Cerys was indeed pacing. She hadn't even tried to sit. In fact, she had been looking for ways out of the room. There didn't seem to be any except past the two Jedi siblings on the other side of the door.

Jedi siblings.

The very thought of it was anathema to everything she had been taught. Sure, she had a sister. But Eira Dyn was dead so far as she knew, and that was before Cerys had been taught the truth, the light of the path of non-attachment. The only thing she struggled with was the other half of the philosophy El-Vanna taught her.

El-Vanna had taught her not just to keep free of attachments, but the reason behind it. The reason being equal affection and love of all beings. This proved to be Cerys' downfall. The non-attachment part just ended up coming across as an unpleasant to all she encountered. The Sal-Sorens were just the most recent in a long, awful history.

"So...what...I am being kicked out right?" She said the very moment the doors slid open. Her posture was defensive, no, more accusatory.

Briana Sal-Soren Brandyn Sal-Soren

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Upon entering and being assaulted with the padawan's expectations, Brandyn just lifted his hands in defence and glanced at Briana. His shrug conveyed a sense of confusion as if he didn't know what she was talking about.

"I just came here to give you your next assignment...there area bunch of younglings down at the mess hall. Go make sure they aren't breaking out in any food fights...and please...be nice to them?"

Briana Sal-Soren

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Outfit: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber, Echo Stone | Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren Cerys Dyn
​

Cerys was prepping for a fight from the moment they entered the room, not a physical one — although part of Briana wondered if she would of liked that just as well — but a verbal one. Jaw set, posture defensive. Then, 0.02 nanoseconds later, the accusation came.

Briana gave Brandyn a sharp look as he held up his hands in peace and offered an assignment to Cerys, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Babysitting duty? Really?" She made an effort to tap down her own annoyance, opting to go along with whatever strategy it was that her brother was playing at. At least to an extent.

"But while you're gone," Crossing her arms, Briana leaned against the frame of the meditation room door, her posture casual, despite the tension she felt squeezing between her shoulder blades and creeping up her neck. She took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled, trying to force her frustration into something more productive. "I want you to ask yourself why it is you want to be a Jedi, and what kind of Jedi you want to be. We don't want to kick you out, we don't want you to fail. But you're going to have to decide whether or not you really want to be here and whether or not you want to succeed."

Without another word, Briana stepped back and gestured toward the door, signaling that she could go. "When you report back, we expect you to have given these questions serious thought and be ready to discuss your insights and how you plan to move forward."

​

 

[Cerys Dyn]

"What?"

This is not how it usually played out. Usually there was something about how impertinent, or just outright unpleasant she was. And it usually ended with her being shipped off to the next place she would stay at for a few weeks.

She heard Briana. But barely responded. A simple nod of her head was offered. She would consider what was said, but frankly was shocked that it was said at all.

Cerys took the opportunity to leave, as the door slid open and she turned back to look at the Sal-Sorens.

Briana Sal-Soren Brandyn Sal-Soren

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Brandyn nodded in thanks for Briana for her words. He was glad that she had kept the emotions in check. It would not have been easy.

Cerys walked past and he offered a calm smile. He would be angry later. He would likely vent for at least an hour to Cybelle, but that is not what Briana needed, and it certainly was not what Cerys needed.

His padawan turned back towards them. It seemed like she was about to say something. Perhaps an apology? Nothing was forthcoming.

"You will be a Jedi Knight...Cerys Dyn...I promise," he said, eyes focusing in on her. She seemed to flinch a little, look away and find great discomfort in his words. It was not that she did not want what he offered, he could tell that. It was more that she did not believe she deserved it.

"Off you go. Get your work done and think about what Briana said. Let me know your answer...this time next week."

The door slid closed and left Brandyn and Briana alone in the room. The conversation had taken mere seconds. A lot less than Briana would have liked. Before she could speak, Brandyn handed her a data pad. On it was a report on the battle that took Cerys' original master to her death on Coruscant.

"Read that before you tear into me."

Briana Sal-Soren

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Outfit: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber, Echo Stone | Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
​

Briana accepted the datapad from Brandyn, the skepticism plainly written across her features. "What's this?" she asked, knowing it was going to be something important related to Cerys—something her brother believed would temper her frustrations towards the Padawan and maybe make her ease up on the Togruta in the same way that he had.

Her eyes scanned thoroughly over the contents he'd presented, her expression shifting from passively curious to something far more complicated. Her lips parted slightly, brow furrowing heavily over her eyes as the words registered, fingers tightening around the edges of the datapad.

She swallowed hard, her heart suddenly heavier in her chest.

Slender shoulders slumped, bowed head rising to look back at Brandyn, her expression softening considerably with something much closer to pity lingering behind her eyes. "She doesn't know, does she?"

​

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Bri's reaction was not unexpected. Neither was her lack of criticism over how he had handled the matter, at least after she read the report. He pursed his lips as she began to understand.

"She hasn't been told," Brandyn said, looking back at the door with a seriousness usually reserved for his family woes.

He rubbed his forehead. Information like this could send someone like Cerys into an irreversible spiral, especially with her current struggles. She had to know, and sooner rather than later. That meant she had to get past the issues plaguing her, so that she could be in a position to receive it without falling completely apart. At least, this was Brandon's theory. Briana was usually one for complete transparency and not withholding critical information. It had come between them before.

"If we tell her now...she isn't ready for it...not yet," Brandyn said, knowing his sister would disagree.

"But there is more. She hails from an offshoot of the Jedi Order known as the Order of the Old Oaths...what scant history there is about this group...well...they have never been great in numbers...never been the type to congregate and establish schools and councils. From everything we can ascertain, Cerys is...the last of her kind. Even if she wanted to, she will not find someone to finish her training in the ways of her Master," Brandyn said. He cast a glance at Briana.

"She is too close to completing her training to be left to her own devices. It is a dangerous time for her. However painful it is for us personally...we are her last hope."

Briana Sal-Soren | THREAD END